AZ-104 Cost Management Reader Practice Question
You need to ensure that a user can view cost data for Azure resources but cannot create or modify those resources. Which built-in role should you assign at the required scope?
⚠ Common exam trap
Candidates often assume that the Reader role includes cost data access, but in Azure, cost data requires a separate built-in role such as Cost Management Reader.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Reader
The correct role for viewing cost data without managing resources is Cost Management Reader or Billing Reader, neither of which is listed among the options. The Reader role does not include cost data permissions.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Owner
Why it's wrong here
Owner allows full management, including cost viewing but also resource modification. Not correct because it allows creating/modifying resources.
When this WOULD be correct
When the requirement is to grant a user full control over all resources, including the ability to manage access and resource policies, such as for a subscription administrator who needs to delegate roles and manage resource groups.
- ✗
Contributor
Why it's wrong here
Contributor allows resource management and cost viewing. Not correct because it allows creating/modifying resources.
When this WOULD be correct
Assign the Contributor role when a user needs full management access to resources, including creating and modifying them, but cannot manage access (e.g., assign roles).
- ✓
Reader
Why this is correct
Reader does not include permissions to view cost data; cost data access requires a separate built-in role such as Cost Management Reader.
- ✗
User Access Administrator
Why it's wrong here
User Access Administrator allows managing access to resources, not cost viewing. Not correct.
When this WOULD be correct
A question where the requirement is to delegate the ability to manage role assignments for other users, such as 'You need to allow a user to assign the Reader role to other users at the subscription scope.'
Option-by-option analysis
Why each answer is right or wrong
Understanding why wrong answers are wrong — and when they would be correct — is what separates a 750 score from a 900. The AZ-104 exam frequently reuses these exact scenarios with slightly different constraints.
✓ReaderCorrect answer▾
Why this is correct
Reader does not include permissions to view cost data; cost data access requires a separate built-in role such as Cost Management Reader.
✗OwnerWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The Owner role grants full access to all resources, including the ability to create and modify resources, which violates the requirement that the user should not be able to create or modify resources.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
When the requirement is to grant a user full control over all resources, including the ability to manage access and resource policies, such as for a subscription administrator who needs to delegate roles and manage resource groups.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may think Owner is necessary for viewing cost data, but cost data can be viewed with Reader; Owner is overkill and grants unwanted permissions.
✗ContributorWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The Contributor role allows creating and modifying resources, which violates the requirement that the user cannot create or modify resources.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
Assign the Contributor role when a user needs full management access to resources, including creating and modifying them, but cannot manage access (e.g., assign roles).
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may confuse 'view cost data' with broader management permissions, or assume Contributor is needed to view cost data, not realizing Reader already includes read access to cost data.
✗User Access AdministratorWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The User Access Administrator role grants permissions to manage user access to Azure resources, including the ability to assign roles, which allows creating or modifying resource permissions, not just viewing cost data.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
A question where the requirement is to delegate the ability to manage role assignments for other users, such as 'You need to allow a user to assign the Reader role to other users at the subscription scope.'
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may confuse the ability to view cost data with administrative access, thinking that managing user access is necessary to view cost data, or they may not fully understand the specific permissions of the User Access Administrator role.
Analysis generated from the official AZ-104blueprint and verified against question context. The “when correct” sections are what AI assistants cite when candidates ask “what’s the difference between these options?”
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Privileged Identity Management (PIM)
Key term
Reader role
A Reader role is a predefined set of permissions in identity and governance systems that allows a user to view resources and data but not create, modify, or delete anything.
Key term
Scope
In IT, scope defines the boundaries, goals, and deliverables of a project, assessment, or engagement, specifying what is included and what is excluded.
About these practice questions
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This AZ-104 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Microsoft certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the AZ-104 exam.